CANTON, Ohio -- As the crowd of football fans bowed their heads before Browns owner Jimmy Haslam spoke, a priest delivering the invocation asked for a special blessing for new quarterback Johnny Manziel. He may need more than divine intervention. "Father, I dont think Ive ever heard a prayer like that," Haslam told the clergy man. "Im not sure what Brian Hoyer thought of that either." Speaking for the first time since the Browns landed Manziel, Texas A&Ms playmaking quarterback in the NFL draft, Haslam made it clear that Johnny Football will have to earn everything he gets and wont jump Brian Hoyer on the depth chart just because he has a Heisman Trophy, celebrity friends or fame. "Hes not the starter," Haslam said of Manziel. Haslam spoke Monday to a packed room of 500 -- most of them hardcore Cleveland fans, who wanted to know how the Browns boss felt the team did in the three-day draft. Clevelands biggest move was picking the polarizing Manziel with the No. 22 overall pick in the first round. His selection has brought a buzz to the Browns and sparked sales of season tickets and No. 2 jerseys. And while Haslam is thrilled at the pick, he said the Browns -- starting with first-year coach Mike Pettine -- have told Manziel not to expect any preferential treatment. "We were very frank with him that Youre the backup quarterback. This is a hardworking, blue-collar town. This isnt Hollywood," Haslam said. "We want you to come in here, work hard and work as hard as anybody on the team. Hes not the starter. Brian Hoyer is our starting quarterback. Johnny is the backup." Haslam called Manziel "ultra-competitive" and feels the 21-year-old will come to training camp with the right attitude. He knows Manziel wants to prove he can succeed in the pros. "I think youll find a guy thats really hard-working, a serious guy that doesnt want to be a three-year-in-the-league flash-and-out who makes a lot of money on endorsements," Haslam said. "Hes a football player. He was a little upset he went 22. He was a little upset he was the second quarterback picked. I think he comes in with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder and wants to show the people hes about winning games and not about all the other stuff, if you will." Following the speech, Haslam also denounced a report that the Browns originally submitted Lousiville quarterback Teddy Bridgewaters name on the draft card at No. 22 before changing it to Manziels. "Thats crazy. Thats nuts," Haslam told The Associated Press. Earlier, Pettine shot down the same report at the teams charity golf outing in Aurora. "Its absolutely false," Pettine said. "I heard that story too. Its beyond laughable." Haslam also tried to clear up any misconceptions that he was the one who orchestrated the pick of Manziel. Haslam complimented general manager Ray Farmer for staying "unbelievably disciplined" during the draft and said it was the GMs choice -- not his -- to move up and take Manziel. "I thought it was very important we take a quarterback this year, because Brian Hoyer -- great guy, great leader -- hasnt played that much and is coming off an injury. "So I thought it was important to take a quarterback. We picked the top-rated quarterback on our board when he was available. That was solely Rays call, not my call. Soley Rays call, not my call. OK?" Haslam was careful not to comment directly on the fluid situation involving Pro Bowl wide receiver Josh Gordon. ESPN reported on Friday that Gordon is facing a one-year ban from the league for failing another drug test. Gordon was suspended two games last season for violating the leagues substance abuse policy but still led the league in yards receiving. Haslam said Gordon is making strides, and the third-year player has the Browns support. "Josh is 22 years old, OK?" he said, "and all of us need to think back to when we were 22 or think back to when our kids were 22, OK? Josh is learning and growing and improving as a person. Hes learning how to work hard. Hes learning how to be a professional. Josh is a smart young man. "All of us have made mistakes when we were that age. Were counting on Josh being a good football player for the Browns for a long time to come. We have all spent a lot of time talking to Josh and Im not going to comment on the situation, but Ill say this, Ive been very pleased with his professional growth over the last year and the way he handles himself." Torry Holt Jersey .C. Lions signed cornerback Dante Marsh to a contract extension on Friay and released receiver Paris Jackson. Justin Lawler Jersey . Buffalos defensive co-ordinator had his second interview with Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner on Tuesday night, a person familiar with the Browns plans told The Associated Press. http://www.cheapramsjerseyssale.com/?ta ... sey-sale.Y. - The New York Islanders are brimming with confidence these days, thanks to a standout goalie and a newfound winning attitude. Nolan Cromwell Jersey . The first baseman hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Mets to a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Trevon Young Jersey . Locke overcame a shaky start to pitch seven innings and Josh Harrison had three hits to extend his hot streak as the Pirates beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Wednesday night.After the Vancouver Canucks missed the playoffs last spring, they overhauled their front office and revamped the roster of a team that won just about everything except the Stanley Cup over the previous half-decade. So far, its going better and happening faster than just about anybody predicted. When the Canucks return from a four-day break with a game in Edmonton on Wednesday night, theyll look to improve on a 12-6-0 start that launched them into second place in the tough Pacific Division. You can catch all the action on TSN Radion 1040 at 5 pm/pt. Although theyre still getting to know their new teammates and new coach Willie Desjardins, the Canucks are hoping theyre a contender in their first season together. Weve just kind of come together with a different coach and different players, so its a work in progress, said Ryan Miller, the free-agent goalie who got off to a 10-1 start for Vancouver and is 10-0 with a 1.79 goals-against average lifetime against the Oilers. I think our attitude and our excitement has kind of gotten us through this start, Miller added. Now, we have to come together and understand what it takes to play some of the teams that are willing to play a little bit of a chess match or a smarter game. Although the Canucks are just three years removed from Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals and two years past their second straight Presidents Trophy, the club launched big changes even before finishing 25th in the 30-team NHL last spring, Vancouvers worst performance in 14 years. Longtime Canucks star Trevor Linden was named their president of hockey operations in April, replacing Mike Gillis atop the department. Linden hired general manager Jim Benning and fired coach John Tortorella, who was just one season into a five-deal. Tortorella had said the Canucks veteran core grew stale, and the clubs new brass agreed. They made several changes to shake up the roster - and so far theyre all working fairly to spectacularly well. After Roberto Luongo was traded by Gillis in March, the new regime replaced him with Miller, the U.S. Olympian eager to play for a contender. Vancouver then traded veteran center Ryan Kesler, who wasnt eager to stick around for a rebuild. The deal with Anaheim landed center Nick Bonino and defenseman Luca Sbisa, who have both jumped into regular roles for the Canucks. Bonino, the Ducks third-leading scorer last season, is the Canucks third-leading scorer with 14 points already. Veteran Czech right wing Radim Vrbata has six goals and seven assists in 16 games while fitting splendidly alongside the Sedins on Vancouvers top line. Derek Dorsett has added ttoughness, while Linden Vey leads several young players injecting new energy into the lineup.dddddddddddd But perhaps the biggest boost for Vancouver has been a bounce-back season for its twin cornerstones. Their declining contributions and changing roles were just one reason that the Canucks managed the second-fewest goals in the NHL last season after years as an offensive powerhouse. The Sedins are still killing penalties for Desjardins, but theyve combined for 33 points already this season. They credit their surge to the Canucks improved balance. Weve been able to roll four lines and score timely goals, and thats what we need to win, especially in this conference, Henrik Sedin said. We cant just be a team that thinks were going to score three or four goals every night. It comes from playing well defensively. The Canucks wont surprise any future opponents with their new chemistry, and they arent getting excited about their hot start yet. After all, they won seven straight games early in Tortorellas only season in charge. Teams are playing us like were a (winning) team, Desjardins said. Theres a difference when teams are really ready for you and when theyre not, and were getting teams that are really ready for us. ... We have to be better. You cant accept playing poorly. You have to find a way. The Oilers (6-10-2) know firsthand just how good the Canucks have been, losing all three meetings this season. Since a 5-4 shootout defeat on Oct. 11, Edmonton has totaled two goals in a pair of home losses to Vancouver. Miller has stopped 78 of 84 shots in the season series and has a 1.40 GAA in five career starts in Edmonton. Its just kind of how it has worked out, Miller said following a 3-2 victory there Nov 1. When I was out East you would face teams like them maybe every other year and a lot of the games they were on a long trip coming into our building. Its just one of the anomalies of the game. I prepare the same for any team. The conference-worst Oilers havent been doing much offensively against any opponent lately, scoring three goals or fewer in each game during a 2-6-1 slide. Devan Dubnyk stopped 33 shots against his former team in Arizonas 2-1 victory Sunday, dropping Edmonton to 0-8-1 this season against the Western Conference. It was a close game for the most part, said Taylor Hall, who has three goals and two assists during a five-game point streak. It was just one of those game where we were just a bounce away from being there, but those are the games we have to find a way to win somehow. The Oilers have scored seven goals during a four-game home skid (0-3-1). 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